The early exit of football teams of the supposedly heavy-weight countries at the just concluded world biggest football fiesta tagged “Russia 2018 ‘’, which ended on July 15, resorted into joys to the betting companies. It, however, brought agonies to several of those who staked with the betting companies in Lagos for possible claims or dividends, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. Many of such clients have continued to count their losses following the defeat suffered by their preferred teams… Read more

The young Thai football club members who have been rescued from a cave will be unable to take up an invitation to attend the World Cup final in Moscow, their doctors said on Tuesday. The eight members of the Wild Boar football team who have been rescued thus far need to stay for at least another week in hospital, doctors say, meaning that they have no chance of making Sunday’s match. Rescue operations for the other four members, and their… Read more

The Three Lions of England who just broke a jinx winning penalty shoot outs faces yet another jinx of surviving quarter final matches. They never progressed beyond this stage when they beat Cameroon in R16 in 1990. The last time they English team appeared in the quarters they lost on penalties to Portugal. Samara Arena, venue of the match between the Three Lions who Nigerian fans prefer to call ‘Three kittens’, will witness a lot of English fans who are… Read more

Bitrus Bewarang, the Chairman of Technical Committee of NFF, has said that the federation would be meeting to review the performance of Super Eagles at the 2018 Russia World Cup. Bewarang, who spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Hilton Hotel in St. Petersburg, said the federation was yet to do a review of the Eagles’ matches at the Mundial. ‘‘On returning home, NFF will meet to do a review of Super Eagles’ ouster in the competition with a… Read more

Argentina great Diego Maradona said he was fine after appearing to take ill during the South Americans’ World Cup win over Nigeria on Tuesday, but found himself in hot water again after making an obscene gesture at the game. “I want to let you know I’m fine. I’m not nor was I hospitalised,” the 57-year-old said via Instagram on Wednesday. Maradona, who was seen being helped to walk from his seat amid the excitement of Tuesday’s game in St. Petersburg,… Read more

SIR: From the reception given to the players by their president in Senegal to their first match against Poland in the on-going World Cup, their mission is clear. Their president made them to understand that they are going to war to fight for the pride of their country. The battle is for the best and they should fear no human being. The team has fiercely executed the wish of their president. They have played their games with elegance and poise.… Read more

The 2018 World Cup FIFA Fan Fest, venues created new World Cup stadiums to cater for non-ticket-holding fans, have already welcomed 2.5 million visitors. World football governing body FIFA, the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the Russia 2018 Host Cities who announced this on Friday said they were thrilled about this development. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FIFA Fan Fest venues are the best place outside the stadium to experience the 2018 FIFA World… Read more

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed a 10,000 Swiss Francs fine on both the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and the Serbian Football Federation for the misconduct of their fans. FIFA said in a statement on Thursday that the disciplinary measure, which was in line with article 67 of its Disciplinary Code, was in relation to discriminatory and insulting chants by the fans. The Mexicans committed the offence during the first half of the 2018 FIFA World Cup match played between… Read more

Lionel Messi's bid to win the FIFA World Cup got off to a nightmare start as he missed a penalty and his Argentina side was surprisingly held by debutants Iceland. Messi was looking to match the impact his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo has made on the tournament - a sensational hat-trick against Spain on Friday night. But instead of being the hero, Messi was the villain as his second-half spot-kick was easily saved by Hannes Halldorsson with the score at… Read more

Ebonyi Football fans on Thursday urged the Super Eagles to be wary of the best fashion rating it has received from nations as the World Cup begins in Russia. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Eagles’ World Cup kits and travel outfit were rated the best by soccer fans, pundits and media across the globe with many saying they had won the World Cup in its fashion sense. Major sports dailies, including the Daily Mail wrote: “First, it… Read more

With just hours to the World Cup in Russia, a pig name mystic Marcus has predicted that Nigeria, alongside Belgium, Uruguay and Argentina, will progress to the Semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting on Thursday in Russia. Mystic Marcus has a 100 per cent track record of predicting sports results according to his owner Juliette Stevens, Daily Mail report. 'For one football match he didn't eat any of the apples and it turned out to be a draw. It's… Read more

Super Eagles midfielder to the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, John Ogu, has caught the Shaku Shaku bug and has enthused about displaying dancing steps should he find the net at Russia 2018. Shaku Shaku is and reportedly 'done by stretching out the arm and crossing them over each other in front with the legs widened out and launching into a graceful half-galloping.' Thanks to rap superstar Olumide, Shaku Shaku is now the most popular dance step in Nigeria and… Read more